Sheriff's deputy

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Deputy George J. Neagle III will be the handler of Gibson, a 19-month-old German shepherd.

The officer-dog team will attend basic police K-9 patrol school in March at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.

During the 12-week training program, the team will learn to cooperate as a team searching for lost individuals, suspects and items. Neagle, who lives in Vassalboro, has been a deputy in the law-enforcement division for four years, is a member of the Kennebec Drug Operations Team, and is a rescue diver with the Kennebec Sheriff's Office dive team.

"The sheriff's office has had some significant success with our K-9 program over the past several years," Maj. Randall Liberty of the Kennebec Sheriff's Office said.

"The K-9 teams are an essential tool in the investigation of illegal drugs and in locating lost citizens and fleeing suspects."

The department has one canine-deputy team already, Deputy Chris Chase and his German shepherd, Jack.